Hello
by Katani-chan
Summary: The end of one thing always leads to the beginning of another. ZADR.
1. Chapter 1

Warning: ZADR. If you don't like it, I suggest you leave.  
  
Disclaimer: I don not own Invader Zim.  
  
  


_-Hello-_

  
  
  
  
_*Playground Schoolbell rings, again.*_  
  
Dib slowly got up from his desk and followed his classmates out to the cafeteria, completely ignoring everything around him, even Zim.  
  
_*Rainclouds come to play, again*_  
  
Looking out the window _almost_ caused Dib to grin. It was fitting; the weather had been dark and gloomy ever since...  
  
_*Has no one told you she's not breathing?*_  
  
Dib bit back a sob, he just couldn't stop thinking about it.  
  
_*Hello, I'm your mind giving you someone to talk to. Hello.*_  
  
He couldn't get her voice out of his head; all the times she'd insulted him, threatened to make his life a living hell...and yet, they'd always cared about each other, even if they didn't know how to show it.  
  
_*If I smile and don't believe, soon I know I'll wake from this dream. Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken.*_  
  
When it had happened a few of his classmates had pretended to care, but he ignored them, ignored the fact that she was gone. The skool councilor had tried talking to him, but had no effect, Dib just ignored her, too. He had begun to shut himself off completely, not caring when Zim did everything from beating him to weakly insulting him, trying to bring his rival back to his old self.  
  
_*Hello, I'm the lie living for you so you can hide, don't cry. Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping, hello. I'm still here, all that's left of yesterday.*_  
  
Eventually, Dib realized that Gaz wasn't coming back. It was in the middle of lunch one day. He just froze, dropping his tray. A moment later he'd fallen to his knees, his long black hair covering his face. When Zim eventually came to try to get the boy to stand up, Dib exploded.  
  
"You! It's all your fault! You did it, you killed her!"  
  
"Killed....? What are you talking about, stink-beast?"  
  
"You killed Gaz! I know it!"  
  
"Gaz? I would not kill her, she was not a threat to the mission."  
  
"No! It had to be you! She was too young! She was too young...."  
  
Tears were streaming down Dib's face as he curled up into a ball on the cafeteria floor, just as the bell rang. Sighing quietly, Zim grabbed the boy by the elbow and led him down to their next class.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Dib numbly sat through the rest of skool that day. Gaz, the only person who'd cared for him since mom died, was gone. She wasn't coming back. And as if that wasn't more than enough, he'd broken down and _cried_ in front of Zim, his mortal enemy.  
  
Zim watched Dib out of the corner of his eye, as he had been since lunch. He'd heard of what'd happened to Gaz, of course, but he hadn't realized how much it was affecting Dib. He'd always thought the two siblings had hated each other, and that Dib would be glad to be rid of her. Obviously not, considering that Dib looked ready to burst into tears at the slightest provocation, and seeing Dib cry was....strange, to say the least. He'd always been focused, rarely showing weakness, and this....this was almost like watching himself cry, something that would _never_ happen.  
  
When skool ended Dib slowly gathered his things and began walking towards his house. Zim grabbed his stuff and followed quietly, watching him.  
  
Dib made it to the front door before dropping his backpack and running. He couldn't go back in there, not alone. The house had seemed empty even before Gaz was killed. The silence would be deafening now. And the memories....There was no way he could go inside.  
  
Zim suppressed an aggravated sigh before grabbing the human's backpack and running silently after him, worried about what the depressed boy might do.  
  
It started raining as Dib ran. As his glasses became blurry with water, he simply pulled them off, leaving them on the street. He had no idea where his feet were leading him now, and simply ran, enjoying the sting of ice-cold rain on his face. Eventually he ran straight into a blue door that was opened by a small green blur that dragged him inside.  
  
Zim cursed as the rain came down harder, he hadn't used enough paste that morning to survive this for long. He turned towards home, figuring that he could track Dib from there, when he saw something glint on the road. Recognizing them as the human's glasses, he grabbed them before sprinting home, trying to dodge the drops of water that were beginning to burn his skin.  
  
Dib couldn't see much of anything that was farther than five inches past his nose, but the house still seemed familiar. The green blur had given him something resembling a blue muffin, which Dib had quickly declined. Not long after that, the door burst open and the green thing squealed.  
  
"MASTER!"  
  
"Gir, I'm in a hurry. Go away. Computer! Track the Dib-human!"  
  
"Human Dib is on the couch."  
  
"What?! Oh...so he is. I knew that. Dib, what are you doing here?"  
  
Dib ignored the question, opting to smack his forehead repeatedly. Of _course_ he recognized the house! He could get through most of it in his sleep!  
  
Zim watched Dib for a moment before drying the human's glasses and handing them to him. Dib put them on quickly, frowning at the crack that ran through one of the lenses.  
  
"So Dib, why are you in my base?"  
  
"I needed to get out of the rain."  
  
"You could have gone to your own house. Oh, this is yours."  
  
Zim tossed Dib's backpack to him as he ordered the computer to bring in a chair. He refused to sit on the same couch as Dib.  
  
"I can't go back to my house. And how did you get my backpack?"  
  
"You left it outside. I had been thinking of looking through it, but it's all wet now. And _why_ couldn't you go to your house?"  
  
Dib ignored Zim's question as he went through his backpack, checking his stuff for water damage. Zim narrowed his eyes as he approached Dib, whose eyes had begun watering at a death threat he'd found in one of his folders. Zim slapped him hard enough to cause the human to fall on his side.  
  
"Ow! What the hell was that for, Zim?!"  
  
"What is wrong with you, Dib!? You've completely lost yourself over Gaz's death! An invader would never be so weak! And to think I considered you a worthy adversary!"  
  
Dib pulled himself up from the couch, staring Zim in the eye, his own dangerously narrowed.  
  
"You wouldn't understand, Zim. She was the only one who cared about me. You have no idea what it's like to have everyone ignore you, laugh at you, hate you. Gaz was the only one who didn't, at least not really, and she's not here anymore!"  
  
A brief flash of pain crossed Zim's face, unnoticed.  
  
"Invaders need no one."  
  
"Well in case you haven't noticed, Zim, I'm _not_ an invader. I'm a human, and humans do need people.....And why the hell am I telling you this?!"  
  
Zim smirked a little.  
  
"Because everyone else hates and ignores you?"  
  
Dib punched Zim hard enough to knock him down.  
  
"Not funny, alien scum"  
  
Dib grabbed his backpack and walked quickly to the door. Zim sat up, holding his hand to his cheek.  
  
"Where are you going, Dib-worm?"  
  
"I'm leaving."  
  
"I noticed. But where are you _going_? You said you can't go home."  
  
"Anywhere is better than here."  
  
"Computer! Restrain him!"  
  
Wires wrapped around Dib's limbs, lifting him slightly. He glared down at Zim.  
  
"Finally gonna kill me, then?"  
  
"Feh, too easy. ZIM likes a challenge. No, I'm simply going to keep you here until you stop acting all crazy. Taking over the planet would be far too simple without you in my way. Computer! Take him to that little room near the Weasil Pens.  
  
As Dib was dragged away Zim sat on the couch, looking out the window as the strong storm outside suddenly let up.  
  
"Huh."  
  
Moments later, Gir walked into the room, holding a large bowl full of batter.  
  
"Master, why is the Dib still here?"  
  
"He's staying until he's not crazy no more."  
  
"Okiedokie."  
  
Gir turned around and walked back into the kitchen, singing a strange song. Zim caught a bit of it, but it only confused him.  
  
'..Master and Dibby, sittin' in a tree....'  
  
Strange, why would he sit in a tree with the human boy?  
  
~~~~~~  
  
  
Whoo! First chapter done, the rest will be on their way shortly. I have them, I just hafta type them. So, whaddya think? Please tell me.   
  
Oh yeah, and the song is Hello, by Evanscence. 


	2. Chapter 2

Warning: ZADR.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own IZ.  
  


_-Hello-_

  
  
  
Dib looked around the room. When he'd been thrown in there, it'd been completely empty, but the computer had been bringing in a few things and there was now a bed, a desk, and a lamp.  
  
"Hey, computer?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Why is Zim keeping me here?"  
  
"I dunno."  
  
"Well, do you have an idea?"  
  
"Yeah....But you wouldn't like it."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Just...Trust me."  
  
Dib shrugged, he just didn't feel like arguing with the computer.  
  
"Could you get me a glass of water?"  
  
The computer sighed.  
  
"Sure, sure."  
  
Dib could swear he heard the computer grumbling about being a complex, state-of-the-art, Irken computer and not a housemaid. Ignoring the strange thing, Dib took the glass that was now sitting on a small protrusion in the wall and drank slowly as he sat down on the bed.  
  
~~~~  
  
When Zim entered the room, it was nearly five in the afternoon. Dib had been alone for over an hour, and was currently curled up on the bed, his shoulders shaking a little. Zim slowly walked over to Dib, stretching one claw towards his shoulder and letting it rest there. When Dib didn't react, Zim took a closer look. The human was crying in his sleep. Zim removed his hand and walked out of the room.  
  
"Computer! Alert me when he wakes."  
  
"Alright. Oh, Zim?"  
  
"What, computer?"  
  
"He's gonna be hungry."  
  
"Then cook something for him, if you're so worried."  
  
"I don't know what he likes."  
  
"Grilled cheese and Tomato soup.......or something."  
  
As Zim walked off, the computer snickered to itself and set about cooking food for Dib.  
  
~~~~  
  
When Dib finally woke, Zim quickly turned the TV off (He'd been watching a documentary on paper making) and headed down to Dib's temporary room.  
  
Dib was practically inhaling his food when Zim arrived, and the alien couldn't keep from smirking just a little.  
  
"Hungry?"  
  
Dib glanced up at Zim.  
  
"No, not really."  
  
Zim rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall as Dib finished eating.  
  
"I didn't know the computer could cook."  
  
"He gets bored, and watches cooking shows."  
  
"Ah."  
  
After a few moments, Dib looked back up at Zim.  
  
"Why are you keeping me here?"  
  
"To make sure you don't do something stupid."  
  
"Why would you care?"  
  
"Because conquering the planet would be boring if you weren't there to make some pitiful attempt at stopping me."  
  
"You....are afraid I'd kill myself?"  
  
Zim ignored the question, finding a crack in the wall extremely fascinating.  
  
"You are! Why?"  
  
Zim glared at Dib.  
  
"I don't want to be bored on such a stoopid planet. I might end up accidentally blowing it up or something just see what it looks like."  
  
Dib studied Zim's face carefully for a moment, before laying down on the bed, facing the wall.  
  
"We have skool in the morning. I need to sleep."  
  
"Zim does not require sleep."  
  
"Good for you."  
  
"Do you eat in the morning?"  
  
"Yeah, why?"  
  
"In case you don't get up on your own, I need to know if I should allow you time to eat."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Dib moved closer to the wall and Zim turned to leave.  
  
"D'you remember when Gaz saved me from nearly being experimented on by you?"  
  
"Yes. Why?"  
  
"Just wondering. Night."  
  
"Night, Dib."  
  
~~~~~  
  
Zim sat at his computer, going over one of his plans for world domination, when a strange noise drew his attention to the small screen that was monitoring Dib's room. Dib was tossing in his sleep, crying. Zim immediately went to the human's room.  
  
When he got there, Dib was still thrashing about, tears staining his face, as he called out for his sister. Zim grabbed him by the shoulders, holding him down. When Dib still wouldn't stop Zim sat on him, shaking him to wake him up.  
  
"Dib! Wake up, you earth-stink!"  
  
"GAZ! Wha...?"  
  
Dib looked up at Zim, confused.  
  
"What're you....where am I?"  
  
"My lab. Why were you screaming?"  
  
Dib turned his head away from Zim, trying to hide the tears gathering once again in his eyes.  
  
"Gaz....I kept seeing her die.....over and over again, and I couldn't do anything...."  
  
Zim climbed off of the taller boy and sat on the edge of the bed, still looking carefully at Dib.  
  
"How did she die?"  
  
"A drunk driver....He slammed right into her gas tank.....she'd been using dad's 'SuperGas'.....It exploded right away...hot enough to fuse the tires to the road......They couldn't find a trace of her body..."  
  
"Oh....You should go back to sleep, we'll be leaving for skool in five and a half hours.  
  
Dib nodded and laid back down. Zim was almost out the door when Dib spoke again, almost too quiet to hear.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Zim paused just long enough to nod before walking away.  
  
~~~~  
  
At 5:30 am Zim walked back down to Dib's room, holding some clothes he'd gotten from the human's house. When Zim opened the door Dib was still a sleep, a few tears trickling down his face. Zim was about to wake the boy when he saw Dib's glasses on the desk.  
  
"Computer, repair those."  
  
A small laser shot out of the wall, mending the cracks in the lenses. Zim picked them up as he woke Dib, handing the glasses to him as he did.  
  
"You have an hour and a half to get ready. Tell the computer what you want to eat. Your clothes are on the desk. I'll see you upstairs."  
  
Zim quickly turned and left, the door closing swiftly behind him. Dib looked at the clothes the alien had left for him and nearly laughed. Zim had managed to grab his favorite shirt, the one with a small laser burn in the middle of the forehead of the not-so-happy face. He still had a scar on his chest from that incident. As he changed, he thought of something.  
  
"Computer, is there anything Zim likes to eat that wouldn't kill me?"  
  
"Irkens have a dish very similar to Crumb Cake."  
  
"Can you make that?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Good."  
  
Dib came up to the kitchen as soon as he was done changing, to find Zim looking suspiciously at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"How did you find out about Kektac?"  
  
"Kektac?"  
  
"This!"  
  
Zim pointed at the food on the table. It really did look like crumb cake, but the colors were switched.  
  
"Oh, that. I asked the computer for crumb cake. Looks like he was a bit off. Is it any good?"  
  
Zim sighed.  
  
"Yes. You should eat quickly, before Gir gets up."  
  
Dib nodded and sat across from Zim, carefully trying a piece of the cake. He soon found himself on his fifth piece, with Zim looking strangely at him.  
  
"Do you like this...crumb cake you mentioned?"  
  
Dib nodded as he swallowed.  
  
"Love it. My mom used to make it all the time. After she died, I learned to make it myself, but Gaz hated the smell, because it reminded her too much of mom, so I could only make it when she wasn't home..."  
  
Dib trailed off into silence, looking sadly at his food as the memories took hold of him again. Zim sighed quietly as he saw tears well up in Dib's eyes again.  
  
"Kektac is only good warm. Eat it quickly."  
  
Dib nodded and began eating again, but much more slowly. Zim just watched him, trying to figure out what was going through the human's head.  
  
Not long after they'd finished the cake Gir came running into the kitchen, and Zim and Dib spent the rest of their free time that morning trying to get waffle batter out of their clothes and hair.  
  
~~~~~  
  
The walk to skool was strangely quiet with neither one trying to attack or insult the other. They made it to skool on time, if just barely because of how long it'd taken to get the batter out of his wig. They slipped into their first class just as the teacher began taking attendance. As he sat, Zim almost grinned, sort of glad that Dib hacked into the skool computers at the beginning of every year to make sure that they were in all the same classes. Skool was relatively normal, their junior year was hardly different from their last two years in Hi Skool, though their classmates seemed no more intelligent than they had in elementary skool. In fact, they were quite possibly dumber, considering Zim had only grown approximately three inches since he'd arrived, wore the exact same disguise, and they still didn't realize something was wrong. Even Dib had given up trying to get them to believe it.  
  
~~~~~  
  
At lunch Zim sat with Dib in case he began crying again. He noticed that as soon as he did, the overcast sky outside cleared a little.  
  
Neither talked the entire time, but Zim could tell that Dib was slightly more relaxed than he had been since Gaz had died.  
  
After skool, Zim waited at the doors for Dib.  
  
"Are you going back to your house today?"  
  
Dib looked oddly at Zim.  
  
"I thought you were keeping me at your house?"  
  
Zim just shrugged, and Dib grew thoughtful.  
  
"Well, I would like to get a few things....If you'd....maybe come with?"  
  
Zim nodded, though he rolled his eyes a little.  
  
~~~~  
  
As they entered the house, Zim could tell Dib was having a hard time. The alien walked a little closer to him.  
  
"Well, what did you want to get?"  
  
"Oh, just...some clothes, my laptop...A few pictures..."  
  
Zim nodded and began walking upstairs, leaving Dib behind.  
  
"Hey! Where are you going?"  
  
"You didn't seem to be moving, and I'd like to get back to the base soon, so I was going to get your things."  
  
"I'm _not_ letting you loose in my house."  
  
Dib immediately ran up to his room to get his stuff, pushing Zim out of the way. The alien watched him go, deciding not to point out that he'd already been alone in the human's house before.  
  
Dib ended up taking as many of his belongings as he could fit in his duffel bag. As he packed he talked to Zim, just saying things like where he'd gotten this, or who'd given him that, eventually taking a small box out of his dresser. He opened it, showing Zim a small, hand-carved UFO.  
  
"My mom made this for me when I was four. She'd been planning the one she'd make for Gaz when she died...."  
  
Zim looked carefully at the UFO. It had been carved from a smooth black stone, probably obsidian, with spots of metallic paint for lights. It was well done, if terribly inaccurate. Zim grinned a little as he handed it back to Dib, who packed it carefully.  
  
~~~~  
  
  
And there's the end of the second chapter. Hope you liked it. I know the whole mom thing may seem kinda tacked on and unnecessary, but it will end up helping Dib cope, so just hush. Please review! 


	3. Chapter 3

I'm not gonna put up the warning or disclaimer thingie anymore. You all know it by now, right?  


_-Hello-_  


  
As they walked back to the base, Zim glanced at Dib.  
  
"I take it you were more like your mother than your father?"  
  
Dib nodded, smiling fondly at the memories.  
  
"Yeah. Dad's always been rooted in the 'real world', but my mom was always a total dreamer. She believed in everything from dragons to aliens to the lochness monster. She'd paint them, too. Dad got rid of all of her works when she died, but I have a few pictures I took of them. In fact, one alien of hers looks kinds like you, same eyes."  
  
Dib's smile grew, remembering that not only had she painted that particular one just before he'd been born. It was to be for him, and it had been the start of his obsession with aliens.  
  
When they arrived at the base, Zim went to check on one of his experiments while Dib put his stuff in his room.   
  
Dib was still going through his photo album when Zim came in.  
  
"So, how are the exploding chickens going?"  
  
Zim gave a miserable sigh and sat next to Dib on the floor.  
  
"One detonated prematurely and set all the others off."  
  
Dib had to suppress a small chuckle.  
  
"That's too bad. Here, I want to show you the painting I was talking about."  
  
Zim looked at the picture of the painting. It was of a long-limbed, thin, elegant green-skinned alien with round amethyst eyes, wearing a gauzy purple dress-like-thingie, that looked like it was floating around the alien.  
  
"You mother certainly liked the color purple."  
  
Dib grinned, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Most definitely. She dyed Gaz's hair purple as soon as she was old enough that it wouldn't poison her. It was permanent, and she'd make this big thing out of coloring any hair that had grown on the night of Gaz's birthday. Gaz kept it up after mom died, it was how she remembered her."  
  
"How do you remember her?"  
  
Dib almost laughed, then pointed at Zim.  
  
"Proving that things like you exist. It was mom's goal in life, and now it's mine."  
  
"Do you have any other pictures of her work?"  
  
Dib grinned a little and began pointing out all of her paintings. Elves, dragons, aliens, fairies, gnomes, goblins, fae, unicorns, pegasus, basilisks, mermaids, bigfoot, lochness, mothman (one of Dib's personal favorites), and beings of her own creation.  
  
"Is this all you have of your mother's?"  
  
Dib gave Zim a strange look.  
  
"Why are you so interested?"  
  
Zim shrugged, looking back at the pictures.  
  
"I never had a mother. It's an interesting concept."  
  
"Well, I do have an old diary of hers that I haven't looked through yet."  
  
Dib began looking through his bag to find it. Just when he'd pulled it out, an alarm sounded.  
  
"Computer! What is it?!"  
  
"Dib's father is at the door."  
  
Dib, who was very confused, went up to the ground floor, Zim not far behind.  
  
~~~~~  
  
"Dad, what are you doing here?" I thought you were at work."  
  
"Am I not allowed to spend time with my insane son?"  
  
"You never wanted to before. Why the change?"  
  
"You're the only family I have left. I want to spend time with you before you disappear like everyone else."  
  
Dib's eyes narrowed.  
  
"If you want pity, you're looking at the wrong person. They'd probably still be here if you'd spent more time with them. First mom, jumping the bridge out of loneliness, then Gaz, running out after you'd said you were too busy for our annual family night, and getting blown up in her car! I'm amazed I've lasted this long, you at least paid some attention to them!"  
  
"That's not true! Penny's mind was unstable, I did the best I could to help her! And for all you know, Gaz could have been going to meet a friend!"  
  
"Hah, right! How much _I_ know?! I sure know a hell of a lot more than you! Mom was just fine before you let work take over your life! And Gaz depended on those family nights! It made her feel like she had a real, normal family, and she _needed_ that!"  
  
Zim, standing in the background, could see that Dib was crumbling and frowned. This was undoing all of his careful work to bring Dib back to normal. He quickly stepped between Dib and his father, pushing Dib back into the house before turning on the taller man.  
  
"Go away. I've been trying to get Dib back to normal, and you're ruining it. I don't care if you killed the others yourself, just stay away from Dib. You'll only make him worse."  
  
Before Prof. Membrane could protest, the lawn gnomes had dragged him off the property.  
  
When the professor was gone, Zim went back inside. He immediately looked around to see if Dib was still on the ground floor, which he wasn't.  
  
"Computer! Locate Dib."  
  
"He's in his room."  
  
Zim quickly made his way down to Dib's room. When he opened the door he could see most of the contents of Dib's bag strewn across the floor, while Dib was curled up bed, his back to the door, shoulders shaking. Zim walked over to the distraught boy, resting his hand on Dib's shoulder. The boy looked up at him and he could see that Dib was clutching a stuffed alien that looked alot like the one in the painting, except it was wearing what appeared to be an outdated training suit.   
  
"Where did you get that doll?"  
  
"Mom made it for me. Why?"  
  
"Computer, display image of Tallest Purple when he was in the academy."  
  
Dib, shocked, looked from the picture to the ragged old doll he'd had since he was 2, and back again.  
  
"Shit...They look exactly the same."   
  
"Dib, would your mother's diary have any information about this?"  
  
"Maybe. I'll get it."  
  
As Dib retrieved the diary, a thought struck Zim.  
  
"Dib, are you...alright? You were crying just a moment ago."  
  
"I always fell better when I'm working on something. Don't worry about it. Here's the diary."  
  
"Well, read it."  
  
Dib carefully opened the old diary to the first page.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
July 19  
  
My 16 birthday. I got this stupid diary from grandma, might as well use it. I still think Uncle Frank is a Werewolf, but there's a slight chance he's a Yeti. Maybe he's a hybrid, he definitely becomes hairier near the full moon, but he's pretty hairy anyway. And Cousin Petunia is definitely a changeling.....  
  
~~~~  
  
"Too early, Dib. Skip ahead a bit."  
  
"Okay."  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
April 20  
  
Membrane proposed today! I can't believe I still use this old diary, but it's grown on me a bit. I told Pur about it. Poor guy's been so stressed, planning this huge thing that he won't even tell me about. Red hasn't been helping, what with his love of lasers and.....  
  
~~~~  
  
"Wait, go back!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Just do it!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
August 5  
  
I finally have proof! Aliens do exist! I don't think I'll prove the existence of these particular aliens, though. I'd hate to see them dissected. Here, I'll explain the whole thing, in case I forget later on.  
  
I was taking one of my 2 am walks through the park again, still trying to get over my 18th birthday party. Remember, Cousin Jack tried making a fireball with a lighter and a can of hairspray, and it blew up? The burns on my arm still sting a bit, and the house still smells funny. Anyway, I was walking around the football field when there was a bright light and something crashed in the middle of the field. I hid as best I could and watched as two tall, skinny creatures got out and began yelling at each other. After a moment I realized that they were yelling in english, though it was strangely accented, and they used some phrases I didn't know. I listened, trying to figure out what they were saying.  
  
The one with the glowing purple eyes was yelling at the other about a stupid road trip to the middle of nowhere, and heading to the first sparkly planet he saw. The other one, who had red eyes, yelled back something about not checking the fuel tanks and getting them stranded. After a few more minutes of this I decided that they weren't dangerous, and began taking pictures.  
  
They noticed the flash right away and grabbed me. It wasn't until the red one picked me up by the back of my shirt that I realized that they had to be over seven feet tall. The red one poked at me.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
The purple one sighed and set me back on the ground. It looked at me impatiently.  
  
"Well? What do you want?"  
  
I panicked, I didn't want to offend my first contact.  
  
"Well, I was just curious...I've always been interested in alien life forms."  
  
"So you haven't interacted with other-worldly beings before?"  
  
"Well, not many people even think you exist...."  
  
"Then you wouldn't have the kind of fuel we need...Great., and we had that important meeting coming up. Red, I can't believe you talked me into this!"  
  
I thought for a moment, before asking what the composition of the fuel was. The purple one told me, and I nearly grinned. It sounded almost exactly like a formula Membrane had been tinkering with. I told them that I could supply them with at least a small amount, which surprised them, but they agreed. The purple one and I began talking (his name really is purple) and while he thought me childish, he said that if my line of thinking were to spread worldwide, it could lead to interplanetary travel within a few decades.  
  
Red, meanwhile, had been investigating the planet. He'd said something to Purple, who'd just gave an irritated sigh and told him that this planet was _way_ too far to be of any use.   
  
Purple ended up staying with me (parents out of town, remember?") while Red guarded the ship, which had been transformed to look like a house. Purple later told me that they could have just shrunk the ship, or both stayed with it, but he was sick of Red at the moment.  
  
~~~~  
  
"Zim, do you know who Red and Purple are?"  
  
"They are the leaders of my planet."  
  
"And my mom had one stay over at her house?"  
  
"Apparently."  
  
"Wow....and I thought my life was weird."  
  
"Skip ahead a bit, I just want to hear a little more."  
  
~~~~~~~~  
  
September 29  
  
The ship's finally repaired, they're leaving tomorrow. I'm gonna miss them. Yes, even Red. Purple's been working on writing in english. It interested him that our languages were spoken so similarly, yet had such different ways of being written. He's going to try writing something in here.  
  
Helo. Ive had an interesting taim on Urth. I wil mis it, but I hav to go bak home, my peepul need a leedur. I wil keep in kontakt with Penny. I wish U luk, goodbai.  
  
Well, he's got some work to do, but not bad. He's going to give me a device I can use to talk to him, but he's erasing the coordinates to this planet. He won't tell me why though. Well, I'm helping them get ready, they need me to cram all the snacks they're taking back with them into their ship. Aliens with sweet tooths, who'd have guessed?  
  
~~~~  
  
Dib sat, staring at the diary. Zim however, began to walk away.  
  
"Where are you going, Zim?"  
  
"I'm going to contact the Tallests."  
  
"I'm coming too."  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes. They knew my mom."  
  
Zim nodded and kept walking.  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
And there's the third chapter! Please don't complain about the whole Dib's-mom-knew-the-tallests thing, It's just a scenic route to the happy ending. Well, please review! 


	4. Chapter 4

Sorry for the delay, my cousin got married. A big thank you to all you reviewers, you guys are awesome.   
  


_-Hello-_

  
  
  
On the Massive, Red and Purple groaned.  
  
"Not Zim again....."  
  
Purple nodded at the drone to connect.  
  
"What do you want now, Zim? And...Who is that behind you?"  
  
"That is Dib Membrane, and I would like to know if you were ever on Earth, my Tallests."  
  
Red growled a little, wishing once again that they'd sent him to one of those exploding head planets, while Purple grew thoughtful. Red glared at the small Irken.  
  
"Of course not, Zim!"  
  
Zim suppressed a smirk.  
  
"Then the fact that Dib's mother was Penny Anderson means nothing to you. I am sorry for wasting your time--"  
  
Purple interrupted Zim, getting up from his chair.  
  
"Do you have proof?"  
  
Zim glanced at Dib, who held up a few pictures, along with his doll. Behind Purple, Red nodded.  
  
"Oh yeah! I remember that."  
  
Purple looked carefully at Dib.  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
Dib saddened.  
  
"She committed suicide when I was five."  
  
Purple's eyes widened slightly, and softened.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"My father spent more and more time at work, leaving her alone with me and my...sister...She really loved us, but she couldn't take the separation..."  
  
Purple dropped back into his chair.   
  
"I never got to tell her that she was right..."  
  
Dib blinked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"When I was staying with her, she kept hinting that Red and I were an...item. I never got to tell her that she was right."  
  
Dib couldn't hold back a grin.  
  
"I don't think you needed to."  
  
Purple looked at the human, almost doing something that resembled a grin.  
  
"That is true. You said you had a sister, does she look at all like Penny?"  
  
Dib nodded slowly.  
  
"She looked almost exactly like mom, except for her eyes..."  
  
"She's dead?"  
  
Dib nodded again. Zim, seeing that Dib was about to start crying again, pulled him offscreen and made him sit down. Red and Purple shared a small glance as Zim came back.  
  
"So Zim, how's the invasion coming?"  
  
Zim blanched  
  
"I-It's going just as planned! Yes! All is going smoothly!"  
  
Purple smirked.  
  
"Don't bother, Zim."  
  
"W-What?"  
  
"Don't. Bother. With. Earth. It's too far to be useful, anyway. Consider this a forced retirement."  
  
"But, my Tallests!"  
  
Purple help up one hand.  
  
"No more conquering, Zim. Just make sure the kid stays alive. Maybe take him offworld, that really is a mizerable little planet."  
  
"My Tallests....Thank you."  
  
In the background, Red sighed.  
  
"If only he wasn't with Penny's kid, we coulda just killed him. ZAP! Lazer through the skull! Damned Purple and his 'friendship'..."  
  
Zim paled as Purple cut the connection. Dib got up and walked over to the alien, who was still staring at the blank screen.   
  
"Hey, Zim...You okay?"  
  
Zim nodded distractedly, eyes blank. Dib sighed and waved a hand in front of Zim's face.  
  
"Zim, wake up. Don't make me pour water on you."  
  
Zim nodded again and began walking towards Dib's room.  
  
"Where are you going Zim?"  
  
"The Tallests were right, this planet is horrible, bad for you too. Maybe Austa....Well, you need to pack your things anyway or they might end up in the fuel tank when the ship reconfigures itself."  
  
Dib realized what Zim was doing and grabbed his shoulder, pushing him up against the wall.  
  
"Zim, you can't just run away,"  
  
"Why not? I failed. I don't want to be here."  
  
"You didn't fail, Zim. You're just running away from memories, you can't do that. You'll just end up worse off than you are."  
  
Zim looked at Dib, slightly confused.  
  
"But isn't that what you've been doing? Running away from your memories of Gaz?"  
  
Dib's face grew angry for a moment, before moving to shocked realization.  
  
"...Dammit...You're right."  
  
Dib let go of Zim, sliding to the floor. Zim looked down at the human.  
  
"Maybe we should go to your house instead of Austa?"  
  
Dib managed a grin and nodded.  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
All that waiting and all you guys get is this tiny little chapter. Sorry. However, the next chapter will be out very shortly. Typing is less of a strain than working on my sorry excuse for a comic, and therefore much more appealing. 


	5. Chapter 5

_-Chance-_

  
  
  
When they arrived at Dib's house, he was relieved to see that his father wasn't there. Dib ended up leading Zim around the house, telling him stories, like the time Gaz had pushed him down the stairs and then kicked him all the way into the kitchen in the middle of the night because she wanted toast. They went all through the house, ending up in Dib's room.  
  
"Not really any stories here, Gaz didn't like being in my room."  
  
"Feeling better now, Dib-worm?"  
  
Dib smiled.  
  
"Yeah, that helped."  
  
"Good. Seeing you cry was just....weird."  
  
They both laughed a little and sat down on the bed.  
  
"Zim?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Zim shrugged.  
  
"No problem."  
  
They sat for a few moments, then Dib adjusted himself to face Zim.  
  
"Why did you help me, anyway? It's not exactly like you."  
  
Zim looked at Dib, smirking.  
  
"Like I said, I'd be bored without you around."  
  
"Hey, Zim?"  
  
"What now, Dib?"  
  
Well, _why_ would you be bored without me? I thought invaders needed no one."  
  
"Well, I'm not an invader anymore, am I?"  
  
They both laughed, still looking at each other. Suddenly, Dib frowned.  
  
"Take off your disguise."  
  
"Huh? Why?"  
  
"You look better without it."  
  
Zim shrugged and removed the wig and contacts. Dib smiled.  
  
"Your eyes are neat."  
  
"Yours are interesting too. All that white."  
  
Dib laughed, before reaching up to touch one of Zim's antenna. Zim shivered.  
  
"Why did you do that?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"You shivered."  
  
"It felt weird."  
  
Smirking, Dib touched both antenna at the same time. Zim's eyes widened and he made an interesting squeaky noise, causing Dib to laugh. Zim frowned and batted the boy's hands away.  
  
"Quit that."  
  
"Why? It's fun."  
  
"My antenna are very sensitive. You might damage them."  
  
Dib pretended to pout for a moment.  
  
"Fine then. Maybe I should just find out if you're ticklish."  
  
"Huh? AH! AIHEEHEEAHAHA! STOP! STOP IT PLEASE!"  
  
Dib stopped, but stayed sitting on Zim's stomach, smirking down at him. Zim pouted.  
  
"No fair, you're bigger."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Of course....I have better technology!"  
  
Zim used his spider-legs to hold Dib down while he tickled the boy.  
  
"AHAHAHAA! PLEASE! AHAAHA STOP! C'MON! AHAHAAHA! NO FAIR!"  
  
Zim stopped, but didn't let Dib up. Not seeing any other way out, Dib grabbed at Zim's antenna. Zim gasped, and the spider-legs pulled back into Zim's pak. Dib sat up, expecting Zim to yell at him. Suddenly, he found Zim's lips pressed against his own. It wasn't at all a bad experience. When he began to respond, Zim pulled away, surprised.  
  
"Did I just...?  
  
"Kiss me? Yeah."  
  
"Oh, um....I should....leave now. I'll have Gir drop off your things..."  
  
"Oh no you don't, Zim."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"You kissed me. Either explain, or do it again. Otherwise I won't let you leave."  
  
Y-you...liked it?"  
  
Dib nodded, and Zim grinned.  
  
"I think I'll take the second option then."  
  
Both were too busy to noticed the strangely bright sky outside.  
  
~~~~  
  
The next morning, Zim and Dib were back at the base, planning what planet they should visit while eating some real crumbcake. When Gir finally ran outside, screaming something about flying sunscreen bottles, Zim leaned over and kissed Dib, who gladly returned it. Suddenly they heard a noise coming from the corner of the kitchen. Both turned just in time to see the shadows solidify and take the shape of a girl with short purple hair, who walked towards them, brushing some dust from her shirt.  
  
"You two certainly took long enough. And Dib, remind me to not trust any of dad's inventions ever again."  
  
Dib nearly fell out of his chair.  
  
"Gaz?! How..You're alive!"  
  
Gaz walked over to the fridge and took out a soda.  
  
"Of course I did. I _am_ the master of reality and all that surrounds it, you know."  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Okay, I know I keep changing this part, but this IS gonna be the end of this fic. I know the end fell a bit short, and I'm sorry. I might work my way towards a sequel to this fic (I'm also thinking of one for Chance), but it won't be for a while. I'm trying to get this citrus-y RAPR out of my head and into a computer. If it's not horrible, I'll find somewhere else to post it. My dad reads the stuff I put up here, so....no citrus from me will appear on this site. I'm thinking of getting my own site up...nuthin' fancy cuz I'll be busy with skool an' all...I'll have Fics and Fanart, it'll probably end up as a mostly RAPR site, cuz I'm good at drawing those two.....Sorry about the whole changing my mind thing.... Well, please review. Thank you!  
  
Oh yeah, I wanna thank Yuta for your review. It's my new favorite! 


End file.
